Post-mix valve



Dec. 26, 1967 R. T. CORNELIUS 3,359,996

POST-MIX VALVE Filed July 19, 1965 INVENTOR.

R/CHARDT. CORNELIUS United States Patent F 3,359,996 POST-MIX VALVE Richard T. Cornelius, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to The Cornelius Company, Anoka, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed July 19, 1965, Ser. No. 472,879 11 Claims. (Cl. 137-1701) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid dispensing valve for dispensing a carbonated and a non-carbonated liquid and for controlling the flow of the carbonated liquid so as to avoid excessive foaming. The dispensing valve has a hollow cylindrical valve body with a tapered end portion. An inner valve member has an external surface substantially conforming with the interior of the cylindrical valve body and is slidably movable within the valve body to control the degree of restriction provided to a carbonated liquid which is disposed to flow between the conforming surfaces of the valve body and the inner valve member. Non-carbonated liquid is passed centrally of the inner valve body and is mixed with the carbonated liquid through passageways formed in the walls of the inner valve body and communicating with the non-carbonated and carbonated liquid passageways.

This invention relates to a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a post-mix valve assembly for combining two liquids, at least one of which is a carbonated or other type of effervescent liquid.

There are many common beverages dispensed today which involve the diluting of syrups or concentrates such as concentrated juices, malts, liquors, cola, flavors and the like with a carbonated or other type of effervescent liquid. It is desirable, under most circumstances, that the amount of carbonation be controlled, that carbonation break-up be eliminated, that the Brix (proportions of water and syrup) be exactly set and that the two liquids be thoroughly mixed without undue agitation of the carbonated liquid. It is also important that the internal structure be of simple configuration with no passages, shoulders or ridges which cannot readily be cleaned, in order to assure freedom from bacteria and comply with health department standards.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel post-mix valve assembly which is efiicient in operation, rugged and reliable in use and relatively economical to manufacture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide novel liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus wherein one of the liquids to be dispensed is a carbonated liquid and which includes means for eliminating carbonation breakout by varying the flow of carbonated water in relation to temperature and pressure.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel mixing means for combining a carbonated liquid and a non-carbonated relatively viscous liquid just prior to delivery from a faucet.

Another and furtherobject of the present invention is to provide a novel post-mix liquid dispenser which may be readily and quickly disassembled for cleaning.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invent-ion itself, however, both as to its manner of construction and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which the single figure is a vertical sectional view with some parts in elevation of a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus embodying the novel teachings and principles of the present invention.

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus is shown which includes, in general, a valve body 11 and a tap 12, the latter being provided with a spout 13 and an actuating handle 14. The valve body 11 includes a housing 15 having a relatively large cylindrical bore 16 extending for a portion of its length, a frusto-conical bore 17 and a short relatively small, cylindrical bore 18. The three bores 16, 17 and 18 merge smoothly into one another.

Slidably disposed within the valve body 11 and generally in spaced relation thereto is another hollow member 19 having a tapered nose portion 20 and a main body portion 21, the latter having a slight taper from its junction with the nose 20 towards its opposite end. This slight reverse taper provides a passageway between the surface of the body portion 21 and the wall of the cylindrical bore 16 which increases in cross-sectional area gradually as it extends from the nose 20 to the end of member 19 adjacent the tap 12. The hollow member 11, as will hereinafter he explained, is designed to function as a decarbonation control device as well as a mixing valve for combining two liquids, one of which is carbonated. For convenience, of reference, the hollow member 19 will hereinafter be referred to as a compensator.

The compensator 19 has a cylindrical bore 22, a second cylindrical bore 23, a tapered intermediate bore 24 and a third cylindrical bore 25 which is slightly smaller than bore 23 The junction between bores 22 and 23 is formed by a shoulder 26. Bores 23, 24 and 25 smoothly merge into each other. A plurality of angularly disposed passageways 27 are located through the wall of compensator 19 to provide fluid communication from the interior of compensator 19 to the exterior thereof.

The small end of the valve body 11 is provided with an inturned flange 28 for mounting the non-carbonated fluid inlet ducts. Specifically, a tube 29 is dimensioned to extend inwardly into the valve body 11 and is provided with a shoulder 30 which is arranged to seat against the shoulder provided by the inturned flange 28 of the valve body 11. The outer end of the tube 29 is threaded and arranged to receive a threaded collar 31. When the collar 31 is tightened, the tube 29 is pulled firmly against the inturned flange 28 of the valve body 11. The collar 31 is closed at its outer end but is provided with an inlet tube 32 which is suitably secured thereto and which is in open communication through the collar 31 to the tube 29. The collar 31 is arranged to have a fluid tight fit on the valve body 11 by the use of O-ring 33 mounted in a circular groove 34 formed in the inner face of the collar 31. The inner end of the tube 29 has an enlarged wall portion 35 having an annular groove 36 therein in which is seated an O-ring 37 which makes a fluid tight engagement with the wall of the bore 25. Mounted on the small end of the valve body 11 is an annular collar 38 from which a nipple 39 extends. In the region of the valve body 11 underlying the ring 38 is an opening 40 which extends through the wall of the valve body. At the outer end of the opening 40 is a countersunk portion arranged to receive an O- ring 41. It is to be understood that the collar 38 is angularly adjusted so that the nipple 39 is axially aligned with the opening 40. An inwardly extending flange 42 is provided on the collar 38 which bears against the O-ring 41 to form a fluid tight connection therewith. The collar 38 is held in position by means of a set screw 43 which is threaded through the collar and extends into a detent 44 in the outer surface of the valve body at a point located diametrically opposite from the nipple 39 and the opening 40.

For convenience in assembling the tube 29, a screw driver slot 45 is provided at the inner end of the tube 29. This can conveniently be used to draw the collar 31 and the shoulder 30 of the tube 29 tightly against the inturned flange 28 of the valve body 11.

In order that carbonation breakout may be substantially eliminated under various temperature and pressure conditions, the compensator 19 is arranged to have limited longitudinal movement within the valve body 11. T this end the surface of the main body portion 21 of the compensator 19 is provided with three or more nubbins or projections 22a which extend radially outwardly into sliding engagement with the wall of bore 16. The other end of the compensator 19 is guided within the valve body 11 by virtue of the tube 29 extending into the open end of the 'compensator 19 and which, by virtue of the O-ring 37, provides sliding engagement of the compensator 19 there- 'on. The relative location of the compensator 19 within the valve body 11 is determined by a set screw 46 which extends through the neck 47 of the tap 12 into a position where the compensator 19 is seated thereagainst. Fluid pressure of the carbonated liquid acting against the opposite end of the compensator 19 holds the compensator 19 against the set screw 46. The large end of the compensator 19 is closed by a plug 48 and is threaded into the large end of the compensator 19, the head 49 of the plug 48 being seated against the shoulder 26. The inner end of the plug 48 is provided with two circumferential grooves 50 and 51 in which 0- rings 52 and 53 are mounted to provided a seal between the plug 48 and the wall of the bore 23. The inner end of the plug 48 is provided with a chamber 54 which terminates in a frusto'conical seat 55 to form a valve seat for the non-carbonated liquid port. A valve pin 56 Slidebly extends through the plug 48 and has formed on its inner end a valve member for seated engagement on the valve seat 55. Specifically, the inner end of the pin 56 has a soft, yieldable ring 57 which forms a set valve memher for seated engagement on the valve seat 55. The plug 48 has a plurality of radial passages 58 extending from the chamber 54 through its wall into communication with the passageways 27. These openings 58 lay between the two O-rings 52 and 53. The valve member '7 and valve pin 56 are biased to a valve closing position by means of a helical spring 59 which extends between the tube 29 and a collar 60 on the pin 56. A portion 61 of the pin 56 extends up into the spring 59 to retain it in proper assembled position.

The main valve of the unit is provided in the neck portion 47 of the tap 12 and includes a valve head 62 carried on a valve actuating pin 63. Any suitable actuating mechanism may be provided for shifting the pin 63 in an axial direction by a rocking movement of the handle 14 such, for example, as that described in my prior Patent 2,899,- 170. The neck 47 of the tap 12 has an inturned flange 64 which provides a valve seat for the valve 62.

It will be understood that when the handle 14 of the tap 12 is rocked, the main valve pin 63 is shifted axially to lift the main valve 62 off of its valve seat 64 to permit the flow of fiu-id out of the spout 13. The axial movement of the pin 63 and the valve 62 causes axial movement of the valve pin 56 to lift the valve 57 off of its valve seat 55. Carbonated liquid from the carbonated liquid supply passes through the nipple 39 and down over the outer surface of the compensator 19 to the port provided by the valve seat 64. At the same time non-carbonated liquid passes through thhe nipple 32 from the non-carbonated liquid source and thence down through the tube 29 past the spring 59 through the port defined by the valve seat 55 through the chamber 54 and the passageways 27 of the compensator 19. Upon reaching the exterior surface of the compensator 19, the non-carbonated liquid is mixed with the carbonated liquid and the mixture then passes through the port defined by the valve seat 64 and out of the spout 13. The angular position of the passageways 27 facilitates the mixing of the two liquids particularly in view of the fact that the carbonated liquid is passing over the surface of the compensator 19 under some pressure. It is to be noted that the passage of the carbonated liquid over the outer surface of the compensator 19 is accomplished by a relatively smooth flow. it is particularly important in the handling of carbonated liquids that such liquids not be unduly agitated as it passes through any dispensing apparatus since this causes an undue liberation of gas and an undue frothing of the liquid as it is delivered. It has been found that the above described structure substantially eliminates carbonation breakout when the relative position of the compensator 19 within the valve body 11 is adjusted to its optimum position under various temperature and pressure conditions.

It will be noted that by virtue of the simple assembly of the various components that the entire device may be quickly disassembled and all of the internal portions of the device slid out in an axial direction. This means that the dispensing apparatus can be quickly disassembled and cleaned in a sanitary manner as often as desired.

It will, of course, be appreciated that other specific forms of the invention may be made within the scope of What is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A liquid mixing and dispensing device comprising:

(a) an outer body member having a cylindrical chamber and a frusto-conical chamber contiguous with and merging into said cylindrical chamber,

(b) an inner body member slidably positioned within said chambers of said outer body member, the outer surface of said inner body member being spaced from the inner wall of said outer body member,

(c) said inner body member having a frusto-conical nose having substantially the same angle of taper as the taper of said frusto-conical chamber,

(d) said inner body member having a bore extending axially therein for a portion of its length and being open at said nose end,

(e) non-carbonated liquid conduit means extending through said outer body member and into the open end of said bore of said inner body member,

(f) a fluid seal between said conduit means and the wall of said bore and arranged to permit relative axial movement of said inner body member and said conduit means,

(g) carbonated liquid conduit means extending into said outer body member in the region opposite the end of said nose,

(h) said inner body member having a fluid delivery duct connecting the inner end of said bore with the space between said inner and outer body members and thereby providing a mixing region for combining carbonated and non-carbonated liquids,

(i) valve means in said bore for controlling the passage of non-carbonated liquid to said mixing region,

(j) and \a second valve means downwardly of said mixing region for controlling the discharge of the mixed fluid.

2. A liquid mixing and dispensing device as defined by claim 1 in which a single actuating means is provided for opening both valves.

3. A liquid mixing and dispensing device as defined by claim 1 in which means is provided axially adjusting the relative position of said inner and outer body members.

4. A liquid mixing and dispensing device as defined by claim 1 in which the outer surface of said inner body member beyond said frusto conical nose is reversely tapered with respect to the taper of said nose, thereby to provide a passageway between it and the wall of said cylindrical chamber which gradually increases in cross section in a downstream direction.

5. A liquid mixing and dispensing device as defined by claim 1 in which the end of said bore remote from its open end is closed by a removable plug.

6. A liquid mixing and dispensing device as defined by claim 1 in which the end of said bore remote from its open end is closed by a removable plug, said plug having a valve seat for said first valve means in its end and a chamber therebeneath which communicates with said fluid delivery duct.

7. A liquid mixing and dispensing device as defined by claim 1 in which the end of said bore remote from its open end is closed by a removable plug, said plug having a valve seat for said first valve means in its end and a chamber therebene ath which communicates with said fluid delivery duct, spring means normally Ibiasing said first valve means to a closed position, a pin slidably extending between said first and second valve means through said plug, and means for lifting said second valve means to open the same, movement of said second valve means being such as to cause said pin to lift said first valve means to .an open position.

8. A post-mix valve assembly comprising a first hollow body member, a second body member movably mounted within said first body member and defining a fluid passageway therebetween, the confronting surfaces of said body members being substantially smooth whereby said fluid passageway is arranged to have a fluid pass therethrough without any substantial agitation, the configuration of said surface of said second body member being such that the size of said passageway is varied by relative axial movement of said second body member with respect to said first body member, a carbonated fluid inlet duct communicable with said passageway near one end thereof, said second body member having a hollow chamber therein, a non-carbonated fluid inlet duct communicating with said chamber, a second chamber axially located with respect to said first chamber and on the opposite side thereof from said non-oarbonated inlet duct, a valve seat defining a port between said first and second chambers, a valve member movably mounted to close and open said port, a duct in said second body member directly connecting said second chamber and said passageway, and a dispensing valve downstream of said duct connecting said second chamber and said passageway.

9. A liquid mixing and dispensing device comprising:

(a) an outer body member having a cylindrical chamber and a frusto-conical chamber contiguous with and merging into said cylindrical chamber,

(b) an inner body member slidably positioned Within said chambers of said outer body member, the outer surface of said inner body member being spaced from the inner wall of said outer body member,

(c) said inner body member having a frusto-conical nose having substantially the same angle of taper as the taper of said frusto-conical chamber,

(d) said inner body member having a bore extending axially therein for a portion of its length and being open at said nose end,

(e) non-carbonated liquid conduit means extending through said outer body member and into the open end of said bore of said inner body member,

(f) means permitting relative axial movement between said inner body member and said conduit means,

(g) carbonated liquid conduit means extending into said outer body member in the region adjacent the end of said nose,

(11) said inner body member having a fluid delivery duct connecting the inner end of said bore with the space between said inner and outer Ibody members and thereby providing a mixing region for combining carbonated and non-carbonated liquids,

(i) and valve means downwardly of said mixing region for controlling the discharge of the mixed fluid.

10. A liquid mixing and dispensing device as defined by claim 9 in which means is provided axially adjusting the relative position of said inner and outer body members.

11. A liquid mixing .and dispensing device as defined by claim 9 in which the end of said bore remote from its open end is closed by a removable plug.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,537,119 1/1951 Bauerlein.

2,548,938 4/1951 Booth 137604 2,645,380 7/1953 Donnelly 137-61112 X 3,015,420 1/1962 Chudnow 222 X 3,154,103 10/1964 Davis 137--604 X 3,291,441 12/1966 Hanson 137170.1 X

ALAN COHAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LIQUID MIXING AND DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) AN OUTER BODY MEMBER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER AND FRUSTO-CONCIAL CHAMBER CONTIGUOUS WITH AND MERGING INTO SAID CYLINDRICAL CHAMBER (B) AN INNER BODY MEMBER SLIDABLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CHAMBERS OF SAID OUTER BODY MEMBER, THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID INNER BODY MEMBER BEING SPACED FROM THE INNER WALL OF SAID OUTER BODY MEMBER, (C) SAID INNER BODY MEMBER HAVING A FRUSTO-CONCIAL NOSE HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME ANGLE OF TAPER AS THE TAPER OF SAID FRUSTO-CONCIAL CHAMBER, (D) SAID INNER BODY MEMBER HAVING A BORE EXTENDING AXIALLY THEREIN FOR A PORTION OF ITS LENGTH AND BEING OPEN AT SAID NOSE END, (E) NON-CARBONATED LIQUID CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OUTER BODY MEMBER AND INTO THE OPEN END OF SAID BORE OF SAID INNER BODY MEMBER, (F) A FLUID SEAL BETWEEN SAID CONDUIT MEANS AND THE WALL OF SAID BORE AND ARRANGED TO PERMIT RELATIVE AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID INNER BODY MEMBER AND SAID CONDUIT MEANS, (G) CARBONATED LIQUID CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING INTO SAID OUTER BODY MEMBER IN THE REGION OPPOSITE THE END OF SAID NOSE, (H) SAID INNER BODY MEMBER HAVING A FLUID DELIVERY DUCT CONNECTING THE INNER END OF SAID BORE WITH THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER BODY MEMBERS AND THEREBY PROVIDING A MIXING REGION FOR COMBINING CARBONATED AND NON-CARBONATED LIQUIDS, (I) VALVE MEANS IN SAID BORE FOR CONTROLLING THE PASSAGE OF NON-CARBONATED LIQUID TO SAID MIXING REGION, (J) AND A SECOND VALVE MEANS DOWNWARDLY OF SAID MIXING REGION FOR CONTROLLING THE DISCHARGE OF THE MIXED FLUID. 